The Biden administration has ruled out releasing roughly $7 billion of frozen U.S.-held Afghan assets, a year after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and occupation, even as the United Nations warns a staggering 95% of Afghans are not getting enough to eat. “This money belongs to the Afghan people. And the U.S., for 365 days, has been holding their money in a New York vault while Afghan people are boiling grass to eat, are selling their kidneys, are watching their children starve,” says Unfreeze Afghanistan co-founder Medea Benjamin. We also speak with Shah Mehrabi, chair of the audit committee of the central bank of Afghanistan, who says the return of funds is necessary to bring back price stability, which would put cash back into the hands of Afghan people so they can afford basic necessities.
"I don't see the problem. When I was a boy in Scranton, PA - we had some neighbors really, really down on their luck. They had to mow their lawn and eat it. I had some. I had a little. It wasn't good but it kept ya goin'! I asked my pop I said 'Pop, why didntcha lend 'em some money?' He laughed and said 'Son, that ain't capitalism. How could I recoup my loan if they refused to pay it back?' My dad didn't have much book learning but he was very smart..."
Biden then talks for 3 whole minutes about a story involving his dad, ice cream, hard work, the American dream, and the movies. The members of the media look at each other perplexed trying to understand the presidential word salad. Biden finally gets to the end...
"So - the Afghan people have the tools to improve their lives. It's just the damn Taliban getting in the way," he turns and old man shuffles away his baby pink fontanel shining. He takes no questions so the media yells at the back of his head.